Liquid delivery device and liquid spray device

Abstract

A liquid delivery device includes a cylinder having a liquid retention section configured to retain a liquid, a piston configured to change a volume of the liquid retention section, a gas container configured to encapsulate a gas at pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure, a regulator which is coupled to the gas container, and is configured to adjust pressure of the gas delivered from the gas container, a gas flow channel having a supply flow channel configured to supply the gas delivered from the regulator to the piston, and a release-to-atmosphere flow channel configured to release the gas delivered from the regulator to an atmosphere, and a three-way valve provided to the gas flow channel to switch between delivering the gas delivered from the regulator to the supply flow channel and delivering the gas to the release-to-atmosphere flow channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid delivery device, comprising:
 a cylinder having a liquid retention section configured to retain a liquid;   a piston in the cylinder, wherein the piston is configured to:
 change a volume of the liquid retention section; and 
 stop the change in the volume when the volume of the liquid retention section reaches a first predetermined volume; 
   a plurality of regulation sections in the cylinder, wherein the plurality of regulation sections is configured to:
 stop movement of the piston at a first position in a case where the liquid is supplied to the liquid retention section; and 
 stop the movement of the piston at a second position in a case where the liquid retention section becomes to have a second predetermined volume; 
   a gas container configured to encapsulate a gas at pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure;   a regulator which is coupled to the gas container, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust pressure of the gas delivered from the gas container;   a gas flow channel having a supply flow channel configured to supply the gas delivered from the regulator to the piston, and a release-to-atmosphere flow channel configured to release the gas delivered from the regulator to an atmosphere; and   a three-way valve which is provided to the gas flow channel, wherein
 the three-way valve is configured to switch between a first state in which the gas delivered from the regulator is delivered to the supply flow channel, and a second state in which the gas delivered from the regulator is delivered to the release-to-atmosphere flow channel, 
 the supply flow channel includes a first gas flow channel between the regulator and the three-way valve, and a second gas flow channel between the three-way valve and the cylinder in the first state, and 
 the release-to-atmosphere flow channel includes the second gas flow channel between the three-way valve and the cylinder, and a third gas flow channel between the three-way valve and the atmosphere in the second state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inflow port through which the liquid inflows into the liquid retention section; and   an outflow port through which the liquid outflows from the liquid retention section.   
     
     
         3 . The liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulator is adjusted so that a volume change rate of the liquid retention section is equal to or less than 100 mL/min. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid retention section includes a first liquid retention section and a second retention section arranged in series, and the piston changes a volume of the first liquid retention section with a first zoning part, and changes a volume of the second retention section with a second zoning part. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder has the liquid retention section and a gas retention section configured to retain the gas delivered from the gas container, the piston changes a volume of the gas retention section together with the volume of the liquid retention section, and the liquid retention section in the cylinder and the gas retention section in the cylinder are different in diameter from each other. 
     
     
         6 . A liquid spray device, comprising:
 the liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 ; and   a spray nozzle configured to spray the liquid delivered from the liquid delivery device.   
     
     
         7 . The liquid spray device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the liquid is delivered to the spray nozzle as a continuous flow, and   the continuous flow is changed into a droplet and then ejected by the spray nozzle.   
     
     
         8 . The liquid spray device according to  claim 7 , wherein
 a droplet diameter of the droplet is no smaller than 20 μm, and   an ejection speed of the droplet is no higher than 300 m/s.   
     
     
         9 . The liquid delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of regulation sections is spaced apart from a wall part of the cylinder.